Welcome to a milestone episode of Society and the State. For our 100th episode, it’s fitting that our guest is former Congressman and presidential candidate Dr. Ron Paul. Dr. Paul has been a tireless advocate for personal liberty and free markets. His influence has been a catalyst for many of us who have found purpose in the cause of freedom. Dr. Paul shares his thoughts on what the freedom movement has accomplished so far and what likely lies ahead for it.

We’ve all seen the “man on the street” interviews where average Americans struggle to identify or name a single country on a world map. Granted, the hapless folks we’re laughing at aren’t necessarily the norm but the fact that they even exist raises some interesting questions about our dominant schooling systems. Is our public school system a failure or is it working exactly as its designers intended? What are the tools and tactics of learning that prepare us for life in the real world?

It’s no secret that many people tend to think of education in one-size-fits-all terms. When it comes to educational alternatives, there’s a lot more going on than simply homeschooling. To grasp all the possibilities, we must be able to think outside the box a bit. Kerry McDonald joins us to discuss the advantages of self directed learning and unschooling.

As passionate as people tend to get during an election cycle, it can be difficult to maintain perspective. Voting is the minimum level of citizenship yet we treat it like it’s the high sacrament of our civic religion. How much good does it do to vote? Does it lend approval to systems that are primarily looking out for their own interests? In this episode, we discuss the moral and ethical considerations of exercising our vote as well as what we can do outside of voting to affect meaningful change.

Most of us are trained from a very young age to believe that government is the solution for most of the problems in our lives. As a result, we tend to spend a lot of time and effort fighting over how we want government to solve social problems. Max Borders has a slightly different take on things. He has founded an organization that’s dedicated to liberating humanity through innovation. Can technology allow us to better address authentic needs without having to resort to political solutions?

Despite clear warnings from the Founders, partisan politics has become the norm in America today. Strip away all the flowery rhetoric and flag-waving and the truth that remains is that parties exist to get candidates elected. This tribal quest for power often leaves voters with having to make a choice between pragmatism and principle. Is it possible to be effective as a voter without surrendering your deepest principles?

Most of us grumble about taxes but we seldom understand just how many different ways we are taxed in our daily lives. From the federal level right down to the local level there are more outstretched government hands than you’d think, all vying for their cut of your money. Kristen Tate spells out for us where these often hidden taxes lie and why it’s important to hold our leaders at every level accountable for what they’re doing with our money.

Whenever someone points out that we are ignorant in some form or another, it’s human nature to get defensive or angry. That’s a shame, because rational ignorance is part of life. It’s what should be prompting us to improve our understanding or to seek out greater truth. Nowhere is rational ignorance more noticeable than at the voting booth. Uninformed voters can cause tremendous damage when they lend their support to people and policies they don’t understand. It’s not a matter of purely ideological or political disagreement. Effective citizenship goes well beyond simply casting a vote on election day.

Sometimes it feels as though freedom and free markets have become a low priority for most folks. However, behind the scenes, it’s astonishing how many individuals and organizations are working passionately to promote the ideals of a free society. Atlas Network is a worldwide network that connects hundreds of organizations that are defending freedom around the globe. Matt Warner is the Chief Operating Officer for Atlas Network. He joins us to share his insights into what Atlas is accomplishing.

Property rights are an essential part of personal liberty. Unfortunately, property rights are much more illusion than fact in today’s society. Things that we think we own and, therefore, control are actually subject to an astonishing amount of government regulation. In this episode, we discuss some of the challenges to authentic property rights as well as potential solutions to rein in the bureaucracy.

Podcast Reviews

Having listened to two episodes, I'm delighted to have found a pod distinguished by reasoned, principled discourse. Hear hear!

Extraordinary

December 15, 2017 by wysiwyg22 from United States

My new favorite Podcast! Every show (after 6 episodes) has been excellent. Great topics. Great guests. It’s nice to know that you’re not the only one who thinks like this in this upside down world.

Informative, thought provoking, and positive

August 19, 2017 by annilita1 from United States

It's so nice to have found a podcast about liberty that is informative and positive! At the end of every episode, I feel like I'm ready to go out and be a little better. Great work, guys!

An excellent podcast about liberty

August 15, 2017 by Riley_86 from United States

The combination of Bryan and Connor is a great one, because both men are liberty minded, and with Bryan's experience doing radio, it makes for a great show. These men will bring up topics that will make you think, and teach you a better way to think.

Fantastic job guys!

July 21, 2017 by Mick McArt2 from United States

I just listened to episode 5 and am truly impressed. Great guest, and good questions. Keep up the great work!